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On November 7 Marin County Open Space District sponsored a meeting at which the consulting team of Philip Williams Associates and Wetlands Research Associates presented their projections of what Bolinas Lagoon will be like in 50 years, if no restorative actions are taken. They also described what they feel will be happening to the lagoon during that period.
The net assessment is that Bolinas Lagoon’s tidal prism will continue to decrease over the next fifty years, to a minimum volume of approximately 2.5 ± 0.3 million cubic yards. At that level, the mouth can be expected to close once every ten years, on average. After the 50-year period the tidal prism is projected to start to increase again, because of higher sea levels resulting from global warming. Although the proportions of the various habitat types are expected to change, little change is expected in species diversity. The one exception is eelgrass beds, which were once abundant and may now be extinct. Eelgrass is important habitat for sub-tidal fish, and is used by herring for egg laying. Please bear in mind that the consultants were not asked to recommend any action plan in this phase of the study, and were specifically cautioned not to do so by the Technical Review Group.
The expansion of the Pine Gulch Creek Delta and the construction of the Seadrift Lagoon were identified as major factors responsible for the loss of tidal prism. Mike Josslyn (Wetlands Research Associates) said on two occasions that the reduction in tidal prism results from the activities of Euro-Americans, which is important because many people feel that “we” have an obligation to correct problems that “we” caused.
A summary handout provided at the meeting is available on the Open Space District’s web site (www.marinopenspace.org), in PDF format. Printed copies of the consultants’ report will be available in public libraries, and in CD format from the County OSD. The report will also be posted on the County’s web site.
The schedule for release of the consultants’ report, and plans for future meetings to develop a public consensus, is provided in a letter from Supervisor Steve Kinsey.
Thanks to the efforts of Senator Barbara Boxer and Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey, the Congress included $150,000 for Bolinas Lagoon in the Energy and Water Resources Development Bill for current fiscal year. The Army Corps of Engineers will use these funds for activities to complement the County’s efforts.
Project bulletins, correspondence and status updates continue to be available at the MCOSD’s web site: www.marinopenspace.org.
Bucky Mace
For the Foundation Board